One-Pan Salmon & Orzo Dinner
Dive into a vibrant one-pan wonder with our Salmon & Orzo Dinner, where flaky salmon meets tender orzo and a medley of colorful veggies! This dish not only bursts with flavor but also simplifies your cleanup—just sauté, simmer, and savor the deliciousness. Perfect for busy weeknights, it’s a wholesome meal that’s as easy to make as it is to enjoy!
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 1 bundle asparagus chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 lemon sliced thin
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped (45 ml)
- 1/4 tsp pepper (1.25 ml)
- 2 cups fresh spinach (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 4 salmon filets
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 3 tbsp melted butter (42 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (45 ml)
- 1 lb orzo uncooked (454 g)
- 3.5 cups veggie broth (840 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 3/4 tsp salt (3.75 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (120 ml)
- 1 cup peas (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400F.
- 2
To a 4.5 quart baking dish, add olive oil, melted butter, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use a fork to mix ingredients.
- 3
Dip salmon filets in marinade, coat and set aside.
- 4
To the same dish, add peas, asparagus, orzo, and veggie broth.
- 5
Cover with lid or aluminum foil and cook in oven for 20 minutes.
- 6
Remove from oven, add grated Parmigiano Reggiano and spinach, and mix together until spinach wilts.
- 7
Place salmon filets into the baking dish nestled in the orzo. Top with lemon slices and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes depending on how you like your salmon.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook the orzo covered in the seasoned broth for exactly 20 minutes before adding the salmon, since orzo needs about 9-11 minutes to hydrate fully but the extra time accounts for liquid absorption in a covered baking dish where steam circulation is less efficient than a stovetop pot.timing20 minutes covered
- ✓Pull the salmon from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F for medium, not 145°F, because carryover cooking will raise it another 5-10°F while resting, and salmon's albumin (the white protein that squeezes out) increases dramatically past 140°F.technique125-130°F internal
- ✓Nestle the salmon into the orzo rather than laying it on top so the fish partially braises in the starchy broth, which conducts heat more evenly than dry oven air and helps prevent the exterior from overcooking before the center reaches temperature.technique125-130°F internal
- ✓Stir the grated Parmigiano Reggiano into the orzo immediately after removing it from the oven, while it's still at 180°F+, because the residual heat melts the cheese's fat and protein matrix into the starchy broth without requiring extra liquid, creating a creamy sauce through emulsification rather than simple melting.technique180°F+
- ✓Use a 4.5 quart dish exactly as specified rather than sizing up, since a shallower liquid depth ensures the orzo cooks in direct contact with enough broth surface area to gelatinize its starches evenly within the 20-minute window instead of steaming unevenly in a deeper vessel.equipment4.5 quart
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
One-Pan Salmon & Orzo Dinner
Dive into a vibrant one-pan wonder with our Salmon & Orzo Dinner, where flaky salmon meets tender orzo and a medley of colorful veggies! This dish not only bursts with flavor but also simplifies your cleanup—just sauté, simmer, and savor the deliciousness. Perfect for busy weeknights, it’s a wholesome meal that’s as easy to make as it is to enjoy!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 1 bundle asparagus chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 lemon sliced thin
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped (45 ml)
- 1/4 tsp pepper (1.25 ml)
- 2 cups fresh spinach (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 4 salmon filets
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 3 tbsp melted butter (42 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (45 ml)
- 1 lb orzo uncooked (454 g)
- 3.5 cups veggie broth (840 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 3/4 tsp salt (3.75 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (120 ml)
- 1 cup peas (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400F.
- 2
To a 4.5 quart baking dish, add olive oil, melted butter, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use a fork to mix ingredients.
- 3
Dip salmon filets in marinade, coat and set aside.
- 4
To the same dish, add peas, asparagus, orzo, and veggie broth.
- 5
Cover with lid or aluminum foil and cook in oven for 20 minutes.
- 6
Remove from oven, add grated Parmigiano Reggiano and spinach, and mix together until spinach wilts.
- 7
Place salmon filets into the baking dish nestled in the orzo. Top with lemon slices and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes depending on how you like your salmon.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook the orzo covered in the seasoned broth for exactly 20 minutes before adding the salmon, since orzo needs about 9-11 minutes to hydrate fully but the extra time accounts for liquid absorption in a covered baking dish where steam circulation is less efficient than a stovetop pot.timing20 minutes covered
- ✓Pull the salmon from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F for medium, not 145°F, because carryover cooking will raise it another 5-10°F while resting, and salmon's albumin (the white protein that squeezes out) increases dramatically past 140°F.technique125-130°F internal
- ✓Nestle the salmon into the orzo rather than laying it on top so the fish partially braises in the starchy broth, which conducts heat more evenly than dry oven air and helps prevent the exterior from overcooking before the center reaches temperature.technique125-130°F internal
- ✓Stir the grated Parmigiano Reggiano into the orzo immediately after removing it from the oven, while it's still at 180°F+, because the residual heat melts the cheese's fat and protein matrix into the starchy broth without requiring extra liquid, creating a creamy sauce through emulsification rather than simple melting.technique180°F+
- ✓Use a 4.5 quart dish exactly as specified rather than sizing up, since a shallower liquid depth ensures the orzo cooks in direct contact with enough broth surface area to gelatinize its starches evenly within the 20-minute window instead of steaming unevenly in a deeper vessel.equipment4.5 quart